Improvement in seeding-machines



GEIss & BRosIUs.,

Seed-Dropper.

NQ. 18,735. Patented Dec. 1, 1857.

NAPEIERS, PHOTOMTHOGRAPNEH. wAsmNGTcN. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IMPROVEMENT IN SEEDING-MACHINES.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. l 8,735, dated December 1, 1857.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that we, JACOB GEISS and JA- COB BRosIUs. of Belleville, in the county of St. Olair and State of Illinois, have invented a new and 'useful Improvement in Seeding-Machines 5 and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specitication, in which--gh Figure l is a vertical central section of our improvement, taken in the line o: x, Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of same, taken in the line y y, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a detached inverted plan of the upper segment-plate. Fig. 4 is a detached plan or top view ot' the lower segment-plate.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

This invention consists in the peculiar means employed for distributing the seed, wherebyr the distributing device is prevented from choking or clogging, the seed prevented from dropping i'roin the hopper when the parts are not in operation, and the seed allowed to be measured and dropped in greater or less quantities on given areas or surfaces of ground, as maybe desired.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct our invention, we will proceed to describe it.

A represents a hopper or seed-box of the usual form, and a is its bottom, which has a curved or segment opening, ct, made through its bottom, as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

B O represent two metal plates, which are of sector form, as shown clearly in Figs. 3 and 4. These plates are secured to the machine by a common bolt or pin, b, which passes through them at a point concentric with or equidistant from their curved edges. Each plate B O is provided with an arm, c, perforated with holes to receive the hook of a connecting-rod, D, said rods having their opposite ends attached each by the usual straps to eccentrics d d, which are placed upon a vertical shaft, e, attached to one end of the machine. These eccentries are so formed as to give not only a vibratory movement to the two plates in opposite direction, but also prevent a cessation of movement by having both plates coincide in their movement for an instant just previous to the change of motion ot' each. By

this means the change of motion of the two plates does not occur at the same moment, and consequently there will be a continuous movement or notJ a cessation of movement of both plates at any time.

The upper plate, B, has a curved or segment opening, f, made through it, and said plate has a projection, g, at its front end, said projection having a slide, E, placed on it, by which the size of the opening fmay be varied, as occasion may require. (See more particularly Figs. l and 2.)

The lower plate, C, has its front portion recessed, so as to form a groove or seed-receptacle, as shown at g'. (See more particularly Fig. 1.) The outer edge of this recess or groove is higher than the inner edge, so that the seed will not casually fall or pass out from it. The front part of the under side of the upper plate, B, has two ledges or ilanges, h lz, upon it, said ledges serving as boundaries to the seed-re ceptacle g', as said ledges or tlanges rest upon the bottom of the seed-receptacle. The ledges or flanges are both shown in Fig. 3. It will be seen that they are placed at equal distances from the center of the openingf. At the ccnter ot' the groove or seed-receptacle g there is a ledge or projection, i, which extends across the whole width of the groove or receptacle, its upper edge being in contact with the under side ofthe upper plate, B. (See Fig. 1.)

Within the framing ofthe machine, and be "low the plate O, there is placed a dischargespout, F, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

rlhe operation is as follows: The hopper A is lled with seed, and the shaft e may be rotated in any proper manner. The two plates B C, it will be seen, are vibrated in opposite directions, and the seed passes from the hopper through the opening a' in its bottom and through the opening f in plate B into the groove or seed-receptacle g', and by the niotion ot' the two plates in connection with the ledge i on plate O the seed is kept in an agitated state and ei'ectuallyprevented from clogging, the seed being discharged from the outer edge of the receptacle g' in plate C by the vibratory motion of thc same, the seed falling into spout F, and from thence upon the ground. (See Fig. 1.)

The length of stroke of the plates B C may be varied as desired b v adjusting the hooks of the connecting-rods D D in either of the perforations of Athe arms c c, and as the openingfmay be varied in size by adjusting the slide E it follows as a matter ot' course that a greater or less quantity of seed, as may be ldesired, may be planted on a given area.

penditure ot power.

We are aware that. perforated slides moving rectilinearly in opposite directions have been previously used for distributing seed, and we are also aware that' slides to vary theoritices lof seed receptacles or cells have been previously used. We therefore do not claim broadly and irrespective of construction and arrangement such devicesg. but,

Havingthus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The employment or use of the two sectorplates B C, constructed as shown-viz., one being provided with an opening, j', and the other with a recess or seed-receptacle, g', and ledge i, the plates being itted on a common axis, b, and operated through the medium of the eccentrics d d and the connecting-rods D D, attached to the arms c c at the desired points, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

JACOB GEISS.

\ JACOB BROSIUS.

Witnesses:

THEoD. I. KRAFFT, BERNHARDT VOLLRATH. 

